Martial Glory, Chapter 37 (Patreon)

A few minutes later I had changed into my fighting outfit of soft cloth shoes and knee-length shorts as I walked out onto the large pit of sand where I would be fighting Richard Long Johnson.

And the big country boy was standing there wearing blue jeans and a pair no doubt steel-toed boots of all things making me roll my eyes at that bullshit.

I tilted my head side to side to pop my neck and I came up to square up with the man with our faces but inches apart from the other.

Then without losing eye contact with the man I heard the underground arena's intercom go off as no referee was allowed to touch the sacred sands of this arena. Only fighters were allowed to step within here.

"Jake Barriss and Richard Johnson, this is a fight till the other cannot stand, is knocked unconscious or even killed! Take a step back from the other you two and I will begin the countdown!"

Me and Richard gave each other a nod and then we both took a couple steps back giving each other a good five or so meters apart from the other. And the announcer spoke again with his voice counting down from three down... And after he said one, he all but yelled. "Go!" To start the fight properly.

I hopped on my feet and skipped forward as well to meet Richard's sprint towards my form and instantly he ducked down low with his upwards to block an elbow or punch coming down onto his head as he attempted to spear me into the ground with his shoulder.

But instead I pivoted on the ball of my foot and I spun slightly like an American football player avoiding a tackle and as I dodged past her charging spear tackle I grabbed him by his jeans with one hand and ripped him up so I could grab his leg with my other hand.

And using the Water Stream, Rock Smashing Fist, I diverted all his momentum into his charge into going upwards with my arm holding his leg and making him almost seemingly stand up in the air...

Only to instantly smash his upper body with all my strength and all his weight face first into the rough course sand beneath our feet with a wave of sand being thrown in all directions.

'Damned sand is like two or three feet thick... It blocked off so much of that impact.' I thought with a frown as I backstopped away from the rough bottom of the boots that aimed to kick me in the waist as Richard quickly stood back up with only his face being turned a ruddy red from being slammed into the sand.

He spat some blood off into the sand beside him as he said with annoyance. "Well, that was fucking scary. A big man like me ain't supposed to be thrown around you know?" 

To which I raised an eyebrow as he took a sort of sumo stance as he came closer to obviously force a grapple. "I was hopping smashing you into the floor would knock you unconscious as my other ways of fighting you are going to leave some nasty scars."

The man just shook his head with a battle-lust-filled grin crossing his face as he charged forward to grab me and force me onto the ground for his preferred submission holds followed by groin hits to keep fighters too distracted to get out of the holds.

My own stance shifted as I switched to the Kyotoryu and with the adrenaline pumping through my veins I slowly analyzed the big man's form as my hand sung like an unsheathed blade as I stepped forward.

A tearing noise rang out as his hands slammed onto my shoulders but he stilled with his eyes going wide as he looked down feeing an obviously burning pain that even adrenaline couldn't stave off the feeling of.

His chest had a fingertip-wide gash of a cut through it, and he staggered as the wound... It wasn't shallow, I made sure not to break past his ribs but I carved along his ribs and the muscles of his stomach down to his belly button were clearly exposed as I flicked my hand to the side to draw off the blood from it.

And then switching back to the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist, I stepped forward to build momentum and then with two matching loud cracking noises like a whip going off, I slapped his ears with such force that a much quieter popping noise rang out followed by small streams of blood following out of the vacuum I formed.

With the double ear strikes blowing out his eardrums and his Vestibular System making him stumble drunkenly before falling down to the ground. 'Quick, efficient, all moves that can be transitioned from the Non-Lethal prescribed by the Life-Saving Fists of Ryouzonpaku to easily made lethal if need be... Shigure would be proud of me.' I thought with a smile as I saw Richard visibly just shutting down as he laid flat on his back in surrender.

"The match is over in record time! Jake wins, but will he stay in the arena for the winner's royal rumble for their company to take home a combined pot of assets from all the participating corporations today?!"

I raised an eyebrow hearing that it was going to be a free for all... Or would it be a free-for all actually?

But I mentally shrugged and left to go to Rino to see what she wanted to do. As although I did want to participate in such a match... As my boss, and key to getting these fights to begin with I needed her agreement to put up literal millions in assets to allow me to fight.

I quickly made my way back up to Rino still in my fighter outfit and seeing my form Rino gave a small smile as her eyes roamed over my form. Still I got into the meat of things as I asked. "So what's this group battle going on? Is it a free-for-all all? Or are there teams or something?" 

Rino actually blinked and chuckled with a smile as she said with some amusement. "Normally it is always a free-for-all all to keep things simple Jake... But for some reason, the Kengan Association is pushing for doubles in having our fighters be partnered up with another random company fighter and afterward the two companies will evenly split the won assets." 

I gave a slight hum as she continued to explain. "But yes, it is a free-for-all all, but with ten fighters, being the fighters who won their matches today and I assume you wish to join correct?" At my nod, she gave a winning smile as she said. "Good, let me sign the agreement, and we will see who your partner is and which company I will be partnered with in this fight." 

After a couple minutes of waiting patiently, Rino gave a small snort and said. "Well, we got a big fish Jake. We are being partnered with Nissin Foods. The biggest supplier of cup noodles in the world, and your partner is... Oh dear." 

I raised an eyebrow and asked. "What's up? Who is it? Is it a Kure clan member? Am I stuck with novice or something?"

To which Rino gave a wry smile and said. "Aha... You are being partnered with Stelle, the Black Widow's apprentice you defeated before." 

My face twitched as fate was showing me up for being presumptuous... Especially with how I was previously wondering if I was going to end up fighting her and look at me now.